COVID’S Effect on Math: An Interview with Ms. Goldberg

Rayaan Saleem, Bear Hub Staff

A math teacher at East Brunswick Highschool, Robin Goldberg, is always welcoming her students and encouraging them to ask questions. Ms. Goldberg is constantly looking forward to teaching her students be it in person or online through Microsoft Teams. Ms. Goldberg informed Bear Hub of the many changes the Math Department has had to go through to keep students learning and understanding math.

Q: HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS YEAR’S LESSONS AND LAST YEAR’S LESSONS?

A: In one sense, it’s easier for me to know how students are doing because the last school I was at we didn’t have anything like OneNote; so I wasn’t able to see what students were actually working on. On the other hand it’s also been harder not being in person, and not being able to talk to people as much.

Q: WHAT CREATIVE CHANGES HAVE YOU MADE TO ADAPT TO VIRTUAL LEARNING?

A: Adapting in the way that I try to interact with people instead of being able to go over to them and just talk to them, now I have to start a whole chat with them.

Q: HOW HAS DISTANCE LEARNING AFFECTED YOUR CLASS?

A: I think it’s good that I have now been able to now use things like OneNote to see what is going on, but it’s also been harder because I haven’t been able to talk directly with students, and sometimes students can just ignore you a lot easier.

Q: WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUR STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE?

A: Be willing to accept feedback and ask questions.

 

Change is normal and happens to everything and everyone. The way you adapt and react to the change is what matters. At East Brunswick High School, students have shifted from in person schooling to distance learning. This affected all the departments, however they all came together to make change. Ms. Goldberg wants her students and others to know that despite how many changes we go through, she and the rest of the math department will still be there to interact with students and help them in any way possible.